Clothes-pin.



W. H. GRIFFIN.

CLOTHES PIN.

APPLICATION IILBD DBO. 22, 1913.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

I I7], 'lnventor Witnesses Attorneys I THE NORRIS PETERS CON PHDTO-LITHO), WASHINCTUN. D C.

WILLIAM HENRY GRIFFIN, OF NEW BOSTON, TEXAS.

cLo'rnEs-rm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug.11, 1914.

Application filed December 22, 1913. Serial No. 808,245.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Boston, in the county of Bowie and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Pin, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to clothes pins and aims primarily to provide a novel and improved article of that character.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a clothes pin adapted to be permanently disposed upon the clothes line, and which shall be of such construction that it may be readily and effectively employed for holding or clamping the clothes or textiles upon the clothes line.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clothes pin of the nature indicated, which shall be comparatively simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, which may be readily fashioned from wire stock, and which will be simple, convenient, practical and efiicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the present invention resides in the construction and formation of the pin, as hereinafter more fully described, it being understood that the construction may be slightly varied or altered within the scope of What is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the clothes pin as applied to a clothes line, and as in its normal or idle position. Fig. 2 is a view of the clothes pin, taken at right angles to the line of view in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the pin inverted and drawn downwardly for clamping or gripping the clothes line. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modified form of the invention.

The present clothes pin is fashioned or bent from a length of wire of suitable resiliency, and which is preferably galvanized or otherwise finished for rendering it non-corrosive.

In carrying out the present invention, the wire is bent to provide a pair of twin or companion loops 1 of oval contour, which are relatively wide, and which are adapted to loosely surround a clothes line. The loops 1 are arranged side by side, and each of said loops has one end rounded and its arms converging to the other end, the ends of the arms of each loop being arranged close together. A narrow loop 2 is extended from and connects the ends of one pair of arms of the oval loops 1, the narrow loop being arranged in a plane at an angle to the planes of the oval loops, and being arranged at an obtuse angle to the said pair of arms from which it extends. Terminal portions 3 are extended from the ends of the other pair of arms of the oval loops 1 between the arms of the narrow loop 2, the said terminal portions 3 being arranged at an obtuse angle relative to the last mentioned pair of arms of the oval loops 1. The loop 2 and terminal portions 3 are arranged close together and constitute nipping jaws.

The terminal portions 3 are preferably soldered, welded or otherwise secured together, and project slightly beyond the bend of the loop 2, whereby the free portions of the terminal portions 3 may swing against or contact with the bend or I bight of the loop 2. In this manner, the free ends of the nipping jaws are adapted to contact, to limit the opening movement of the said jaws, it being observed that the jaws are crossed.

In use, the clothes line at is passed through the twin or complementing loops 1, whereby the clothes pin may be permanently supported by the clothes line, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, it being understood that any number of the pinsmay be employed upon a clothes line, and may be slid to the position desired when the pins are to be brought into use. The clothes pins may be readily applied to the clothes line, as will be obvious, and after being applied thereto, will not be liable to drop off or become accidentally disengaged from the line.

hen an article is placed over the clothes line, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the clothes pin is inverted adjoining one end or edge of the article, the loops 1 serving as finger holes. Then, by moving the nipping jaws 2 and 3 over the end or edge portion of the article, and drawing or pulling the loops 1 downwardly, the nipping jaws will spread or yield to receive the line and the adjoining portion of the article disposed on the line, as seen in Fig. 3. Thus, the nipping jaws will tightly clamp or grip the article, to hold it in position upon the line, the free prevent the jaws from being spread excesslvely.

In the manner indicated, the clothes pinsupon the line may be readily manipulated to grasp and hold the clothes or other textiles,

it being noted that the several clothes pins may he slid to either side to engage the articles, and that the loops 1 of each pin are oval-shaped topermit the clothes line to readily pass between the nipping jaws.

The clothes pin may be readily released from the article, by forcingthe clothes pin upwardly, which will permit the nipping jaws 2' and 3 to slide out of engagement with the line and article, the loops 1 will again be brought over the line,to liberate the-article, as well as the clothes pin.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, the advantages incident to the present structure will be obvious without further comment, it being noted that the objects aimed at have been carried out satisfactorily;

Inthe variation illustrated in Fig. 4, the sections of'the nipping jaw 3 and the adjoining sections forming one side of the loops 1, are intertwisted, and one terminal 5 is formed into an eye engaging the bight of the loop 2. Thus, in each form of the invention, the nipping jaws are provided with the engageable or cooperating portions at their free ends or extremities for preventing the jaws from separating excessively. The twisted nipping jaw 3' is of advantage, inasmuch as it permits the jaws to engage over the line, in such a manner, as not to accidently slip out of engagement therewith, as might be the case with the smooth or untwisted jaws 2 and 3 in some instances.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

I. Awire clothes pin embodyingrelatively wide twin oval loops adapted to loosely surround a clothes line, said loops being arranged side by side, each of the loops having one end rounded and having its arms converging to the other end, the ends of the arms of each loop being arranged close together, a narrow loop extending from and connecting the ends of one pair of arms of the said loops, the narrow loop being arranged in a plane at an angle to the planes of the owl loops and being arranged at an obtuse angle to the said pair of arms from which it extends, and terminal portions extended from the ends of the other pair of arms of the oval loops between the arms of the narrow loop, the said terminal portions being arranged at an obtuse angle to the last mentioned pair of arms of the oval loops, the narrow loop and terminal portions constituting nipping jaws, and the said terminal portions cooperating with the bight of the narrow loop to limit the separation of the nipping jaws.

2'. Awire clothes pin embodying relatively wide twin oval loops adapted to loosely surround a clothes line, said loops being arranged side by side, each of the loops having one end rounded and having its arms converging to the other end, the ends of the arms of each loop being arranged close together, a narrow loop extending from and connecting the ends of one pair of arms of the said loops, the narrow loop being arranged in a plane at an angle to the planes of the oval loops and being arranged at an obtuse angle to the said pair of arms from which it extends, and terminal portions extended from the ends of the other pair of arms of the oval loops between the arms of the narrow loop, the said terminal portions being arranged at an obtuse angle to the last mentioned pair or" arms of the oval loops, the narrow loop and terminal portions constituting nipping jaws, the said terminal portions being inter-twisted and having an eye engaging the bight of the narrow loop.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

lVILLIAM HENRY GRIFFIN.

Vitnesses R. P. HAMBLn'r'r, J. H. DALBY.

Copies of this patent may be obtainediforifive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G. 

